Getting a diagnosis of migraine

It takes time to get a diagnosis of migraine

It can be a long and frustrating process to get a diagnosis of migraine.

While most women in Australia get a diagnosis within 2 years of experiencing migraine, it can take much longer. This may be due to different factors. For example:

• there isn’t a simple test, like a blood test, to diagnose migraine
• there are many types of headache and migraine, each with different symptoms
• symptoms of migraine can be associated with other conditions, which need to be ruled out
• some doctors and health professionals haven’t had in-depth training about migraine, so women may need to self-advocate to get the right diagnosis.

Why migraine diagnosis can be more complex for women

More women have migraine attacks than men. But women’s symptoms aren’t always investigated and may even be dismissed. This might be due to:

• the gender pain gap
• a ‘get on with it’ culture, where women put up with pain and don’t seek help, especially if they see other female family members with migraine do this.

What does the diagnosis process feel like?

According to a 2025 survey, women in Australia had different emotions about their migraine diagnosis journeys. Some women felt the process was frustrating, lengthy and confusing. Others felt it was supportive, quick and informative.

Why it’s important to get a diagnosis of migraine

About two thirds of people with migraine in Australia don’t have an official diagnosis. But if you get the right diagnosis:

• you can get treatments for your specific type of migraine
• you can try migraine-specific medicines for pain, such as triptans, if over-the-counter pain medicines aren't helping with migraine attacks
• you can try preventive medicines that may stop migraine attacks from happening in the first place
• you can use proven treatments to prevent and ease migraine, rather than putting up with the pain or following out-of-date advice.

How to get a diagnosis of migraine

There are many things you can do to get a diagnosis of migraine.

Be clear about why you are making an appointment

When you book an appointment, explain that you want to talk about your headache symptoms and find out if you have migraine. You may need to book a longer appointment.

Be prepared for questions and an examination

At the appointment, your doctor may:

• ask questions about your medical history
• check your reflexes, sight and eye movements, hearing, smell, and your ability to move your head and neck
• do a physical examination to check your general level of health.

This information may be enough to help your doctor rule out other conditions and diagnose you with migraine. You won’t need a blood test or scan at this stage.

Share important information with your doctor

Share information about your medical history and lived experience with your doctor. This will help your doctor build a picture and make the right diagnosis.

Research suggests that certain factors are linked to migraine, for example:

• having a family member who has been diagnosed with migraine
• having depression, anxiety, sleep problems, epilepsy or hay fever
• having experience of emotional abuse as a child.

Fill in a migraine questionnaire before your appointment

The more information you can share with your doctor, the better. But don’t put off seeking help and getting treatment if symptoms are interfering with your usual activities.

If you haven’t been able to keep a symptom diary before your appointment, you can fill in this migraine questionnaire (PDF 250KB) and discuss it with your doctor.

Symptom diary for migraine

You can keep a symptom diary for about 3 weeks. A symptom diary helps you keep track of your symptoms, how much they affect you and when they happened.

Talk to your doctor or neurologist about any patterns you’ve noticed. When you have a record of what happened, you’ll be less likely to downplay your symptoms at your appointment.

A simple diary

Get started with a simple green, orange and red traffic light system. You can use coloured pens or write the colour in your diary.

• Green means a day without any pain or other migraine symptoms, for example, light sensitivity.
• Orange means a day with some pain or other migraine symptoms, but where you can do most of your usual activities.
• Red means a day where pain or other migraine symptoms impact your usual activities, for example, you have to cancel plans.

You can also record:

• when you have your period, to see if there’s a link between your period and migraine attacks
• when you took pain-relief medicine.

An in-depth diary

Your doctor might ask you to record detailed information to help with the diagnosis, including:

• when you experience migraine attacks
• details about your symptoms, for example, nausea or runny nose
• what the pain feels like and where it is, for example, stabbing behind your eye, squeezing at your temples, tension at the base of your skull
• potential triggers
• any warning signs you notice
• how quickly the migraine comes on.

You can also record:

• how you feel after the pain has gone
• what helps you manage the symptoms, for example, pain-relief medicine, bed rest, cold or hot packs
• how often you cancel your usual activities, such as work or social events, because of migraine.

You’ll find helpful headache and migraine apps and diary templates on the Migraine & Headache Australia website.

When to see a neurologist about migraine

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a neurologist who specialises in headache and migraine.

It’s important to get a referral if treatments aren’t working and you still have migraine attacks that affect your daily life.

A neurologist can guide you through the diagnosis process and develop a treatment plan. Note that it may take time to find and get an appointment with a neurologist.

If you have a referral, call the clinic before your appointment to ask about Medicare rebates, private health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket expenses.

You can find a list of neurologists that specialise in headache and migraine on the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society website.

Support during your migraine diagnosis journey

It may be helpful to connect with people who are on the same diagnosis journey or have been through it. You can:

• join the private Facebook group run by Migraine & Headache Australia.
• find local and in-person meet-ups coordinated by Migraine Australia.